Physician Assistant

Believe It: Students have a 98% pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam.

Master of Physical Assistant Science Post-BaccalaureateImportant Note for those interested in the post-baccalaureate option for Fall 2016 and beyond:

Thank you for your interest in Gannon University. Unfortunately, we are not anticipating any available seats in The Physician Assistant Program at the graduate level in the foreseeable future.

One of the features of Gannon's Physician Assistant program is that it offers a 5-year master's degree that allows students to enter at the freshman level and complete the Masters in Physician Assistant Science without reapplying upon completion of the bachelor's degree. The PA program is limited in the number of spots we are able to offer due to limitations set by the accrediting body. Given the overwhelming response to this option, we are not currently able to offer post-baccalaureate spots to students outside of the 5-year program. We may, in the future, be able to once again offer positions to students pursuing the post-baccalaureate option.

For the academic year that concluded in 2013, Gannon graduates had a 98 percent pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE).

99 percent of our graduates from 2003 to 2013 are currently certified.

Students train in the Patient Simulation Center of the Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences, the largest comprehensive patient simulation center in the region. The Patient Simulation Center uses a breakthrough, multidisciplinary approach, bringing students from a variety of fields together for collaborative learning.

Kim Cavanagh, DHSc, PA-C associate professor/associate director of the Physician Assistant Department, was honored with the Educator of the Year award given by the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants (PSPA) at the group's annual conference in 2013.

You Will Learn

Physician assistants are skilled, dependent health practitioners who are academically and clinically prepared to provide patient care services under the supervisionof a physician. Their specific tasks vary widely due to differences among state laws, hospital policies and utilization preferences of supervising physicians.

The physician assistant department offers a Master of Physician Assistant Science degree available through a five- year undergraduate admission program. The curriculum is predominantly clinical during the final year of the program. Adjunct regional medical faculty, in conjunction with various health care institutions, introduce the students to professional physician assistant training. Clinical sites are offered primarily in northwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio, and western New York, as well as some locations farther afield, presenting an exciting opportunity for a broader clinical exposure.

You Will Experience

Physician assistants may assist in surgery and deliver pre- operative and post-operative care. Physician assistants may deliver patient care in any setting in which the physician works. Students will receive a comprehensive, hands-on training in the profession by completing rotations in the following areas:

Elective Rotation I & II

Emergency Medicine Rotation

Family Medicine Rotation I, II, III & IV

General Surgery Rotation

You Will Achieve

Employment for physician assistants is expected to grow by 30 percent from 2010-2020, much faster than the average for all occupations. There is expected to be a greater need for primary healthcare providers, of which physician assistants will have an increasing role in providing routine healthcare. Such job opportunities include, but are not limited to, the following:

assisted living facilities • hospitals

private practice

urgent care facilities

You will Study

The physician assistant program curriculum at Gannon University is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. Students will receive outstanding educational preparation through completion of courses including:

PHAS 416: Physical Diagnosis Lab III

This course marks the transition between classroom and clinical learning. In this course, faculty accompany students on their first clinical experience where they take patient histories at local hospitals, the first encounter students have with actual patients.

GPHAS 600: Pre-Rotation Lecture Skills Lab

In this course, students prepare for their first clinical experience and learn necessary skills essential in clinical practice. Gowning, gloving, giving injections, performing IV insertion, suturing and casting are among the topics of this class. For this class and others, students train in the Patient Simulation Center of the Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences, the largest comprehensive patient simulation center in the region.

The Patient Simulation Center uses a breakthrough, multidisciplinary approach, bringing students from a variety of fields together for collaborative learning. The Patient Simulation Center features 14 medium- and high-fidelity patient simulators, the most in the area, in 5,800 square-feet of floor space that includes simulated emergency, labor, delivery and recovery rooms, along with other clinical settings.

Liberal Studies Core

The Liberal Studies Core Curriculum is one reflection of Gannon University's commitment to
its Catholic identity. The Core's design offers students a defined, integrated, shared
experience as the foundation for their undergraduate program.

You Will Earn

Salaries in the industry vary depending on the location and type of organization.

• Physician Assistant $90,930

All salary information is compiled from data gathered from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) and/or PayScale (payscale.com).